Healthy Grocery Shopping - Body and Budget

By: Sarah Holvik, B.Sc. Nutritional Science
 
The following 10 savings tips will help you to keep your food bills on track and promote healthier food choices.
 
1. Planning
 
Plan and make a list before going to the supermarket. This will help you shop more economically and will encourage healthier food choices, compared to pre-packaged convenience foods that often contain loads of saturated and trans fats and harmful preservatives.
 
2. Take yourTime
 
Do a quick inventory of your kitchen to determine the food that you need to prepare the meals you plan to make. Prepare your shopping list accordingly and use any coupons that you have saved that may save you money on your grocery list. Read the flyers to find the best deals and shop on double coupon days or %-off days.
 
3. Choosing the Right Store
 
When buying in bulk, the warehouse stores or superstores are good choices for the non-perishable items.  Many of the grocery stores offer excellent product and price selection, so choosing the store that is right for you will make your shopping trip not only pleasurable but also affordable.
 
4. Eat First
 
This is a very important tip as we have all picked up that extra treat or snack that we didn’t need just because we are hungry… Try to eat first and satisfy your hunger to curb the grocery store cravings.
 
5. Store Brands
 
Try it, you may like it. The store brand products have improved their product labels and are priced lower than the national brands. If you like the product and it meets your standards, you save again.
 
6. Impulse Buying
 
Stick to a well thought-out shopping list. This will help to cut down on buying the things you do not need. Also, giving yourself enough time to shop will help prevent dashing in and reaching for the first item you see. Setting a dollar limit for impulse buying will help satisfy the cravings without destroying the budget.
 
7. Comparison Shopping
 
Read the unit price, not just the package price. The unit price information is usually on a sticker located on the shelf that holds the item. The package price tells you the cost of the entire item while the unit price shows the cost per pound, per ounce, etc. Taking a moment to compare this information in similar products will help you get the best value for your dollar.
 
8. Beware of Marketing Strategies
 
Higher priced and impulse items are generally placed at the end of an aisle, near recipe related item placement and in middle shelved products. Avoiding these will ultimately save you time and money.
 
9. Watch the Scanner
 
Be alert and watch the scanned price as your groceries are being checked out.
 
10. Enjoy
 
Last but not least, enjoy your shopping trip. You owe it to yourself, as you now have a delicious meal or meals to look forward to with the ingredients that you bought.
 
Vancouver Nutritionist Sarah Holvik is the owner of nutrition consulting company Manna Health Group.  She welcomes questions at sarah@activelivingprogram.com.